Elijah Adebayo finding his fire to ignite the Walsall attack

The 22-year-old put in a handful of game-changing performances in the closing stages of last season, scoring three goals in two games, following a largely inconsistent campaign.

Adebayo described it as ‘finding his fire’ and he continued that form on Saturday when he scored the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win over Grimsby, but the forward insists there is still work to do.

“It’s still a work in progress – it’s not something you can switch on and off,” he said.

“Like I said to you last year, I need to keep reminding myself that this is what I need to do and where I need to be.

“Eventually it will come. Grimsby was a bit of a 50/50 game for me, I didn’t feel like myself.

“But it’s the first game for me and I need to make sure as the weeks go on you see more of that fire.”

A key difference in Adebayo’s style since his mixed start at the club has been the aggression he has shown on the field. Now more regularly winning the ball back on the floor and in the air, the forward insists it is a ‘big part’ of his game.

“I’m 6ft 5ins, you’d expect me to be aggressive wouldn’t you?” he added.

“Aggression is something that is part and parcel of my game, I think I need to be angry for me to play and play well. I have a cool head, but you see the aggression on the pitch.

“That’s a big part of my game if you’re going to get the best out of me.

“I have a very cool head, but I know in my mind that we’re playing a game of football and we’re here to win.

“By any means to win, controlled aggression is the way it has to be.”

Meanwhile, Liam Kinsella insists the Saddlers should be targetting promotion this year.

“We all know it’s a tough league with big clubs in there that will be favourites to go up,” he said.

“I feel like the squad we have, and the players being able to gel over the past 15 months, and with the new players, we can give it a good crack

.”